admin
“Sugar, Spice, and the Not So Nice: Comics Picturing Girlhood” was a symposium held at Ghent University in Belgium on April 22-23, 2021. The symposium aimed to explore the representation of girlhood in comics and to challenge gender stereotypes and social norms.
The event featured a range of presentations, roundtable discussions, and keynote speeches from scholars, artists, and creators in the field of comics. The keynote speakers were Dr Mel Gibson from Northumbria University and Julia Round from Bournemouth University. The presentations covered a wide range of topics, including the representation of girls in superhero comics, the intersectionality of girlhood, and the use of comics to promote social change.
In the visual diary above, you can see my recap of the keynote lecture by Mel Gibson, where she discussed topics such as professional identity, girlhood comics, affection, nostalgia, and embarrassment. I took note of the main points of her lecture and documented them visually. Participating in this session was an exciting and enriching experience, as it provided me with valuable insights into the challenges faced by my fellow colleagues. I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned from such an esteemed scholar and look forward to applying this knowledge in my own work.
“Sugar, Spice, and the Not So Nice: Comics Picturing Girlhood” was an important event that provided a platform for critical engagement and dialogue around the representation of girlhood in comics. The symposium demonstrated the importance of diversity and representation in comics and highlighted the potential of the medium to challenge gender stereotypes and promote social change.
